Vitter: I Support Birther Lawsuits (VIDEO)

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) has made his views known on the Birther controversy: He supports lawsuits to force President Obama to produce his birth certificate.

"I personally don't have standing to bring litigation in court," Vitter said. "But I support conservative legal organizations and others who would bring that to court. I think that is the valid and most possibly effective grounds to do it."

But on the other hand, Vitter takes a relatively enlightened approach to the issue, telling conservative activists that they shouldn't let the Birther issue distract them from the important work of this November's elections.

Vitter appeared yesterday at an event yesterday in Metairie, Louisiana, hosted by the Greater New Orleans Tea Party. According to tracker video provided to us by the Louisiana Democrats, a man got up during a Q&A and asked Vitter what he would do about what the man described as Obama's failure to produce a valid birth certificate. Here is Vitter's answer:

"I know all the information I've been able to get my hands on through the media. But obviously with the mainstream media as a filter, that's not a whole lot. I personally don't have standing to bring litigation in court. But I support conservative legal organizations and others who would bring that to court. I think that is the valid and most possibly effective grounds to do it. Let me also say this. I think quite frankly, and I'll be blunt, I think if we focus on that issue and let our eye off the ball in terms of this fall's election, in terms of ongoing policy votes, week in, week out in the Congress, I think that's a big mistake. I think we need (applause) -- I think first and foremost, I'm not dismissing any of this. I think first and foremost, we need to fight the Obama agenda at the ballot box, starting this fall, we can (inaudible, due to applause) a new and very different Congress."